


I Don't Need a Protector

by Akiko_Natsuko



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Anger, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protectiveness, Serious Injuries, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-28
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-18 08:20:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17577257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Akiko_Natsuko/pseuds/Akiko_Natsuko
Summary: Rufus knew that he was drawing too much attention to himself, but he didn’t…couldn’t care about that right now. Not when the healers had been able to patch him up in a matter of minutes, sending him out here to wait in the corridor, while Freed had been whisked away over an hour ago.





	I Don't Need a Protector

    Rufus knew that he was drawing too much attention to himself, especially as he had no way of knowing whether Freed’s actions had completely wiped out their assailants, or whether the gang they had been dealing with had further contacts in the town, but he didn’t…couldn’t care about that right now. Not when the healers had been able to patch him up in a matter of minutes, sending him out here to wait in the corridor, while Freed had been whisked away over an hour ago, with still no sign of him, or of anyone arriving bearing news. _Freed._ His memory of what had happened was hazy at best, courtesy of the nasty blow to the head that had derailed the whole mission in the first place, although the healer had managed to ease it quickly enough, and he shifted uneasily, not liking the gap in his memories.

_Freed, what happened?_

    He turned and paced back in the other direction, twisting his hat in his hands as he realised that other people in the waiting area were staring at him, or more likely at the blood staining his clothes and he gulped, before turning and moving across to the empty seats against the wall. Sinking into them he ducked his head to avoid the curious gazes, burrowing his head in his hands, shoulders beginning to shake. _Freed, you had better pull through this…_

_The pain when it had come had been unexpected, and all-consuming and all thoughts of finishing the spell he had been casting were lost as he went down. He wasn’t unconscious, not yet at least, but there was a grey haze over his thoughts, distorting the world around him, and his body felt heavy and reluctant to respond to his commands. Somewhere there was a spark of fear because they had been outnumbered before and now, he couldn’t fight and Freed… his thoughts trailed off, spiralling into white noise, and for a time, he couldn’t say how long he was adrift in the haze._

_It was a gentle hand against his cheek that brought him back to awareness, although he seemed to have double vision, the world swimming in and out of focus and leaving him feeling sick and disorientated. It took him several attempts to focus enough to realise that it was Freed leaning over him, the focused mask he had worn for the job now splintered, eyes glittering with anger that didn’t bleed through into his touch or voice. “Are you back with me?” Rufus opened his mouth to try and answer, only to find that the words wouldn’t come, that simple action leaving him feeling sick and more disorientated than ever, and he thought that Freed’s expression shifted, but he wasn’t sure. “It’s okay, you’re going to be okay.”_

_I don’t remember you sounding like that before…_

_*_

_He must’ve faded out for a while after that, because when the world came back into focus, it was upside down, with runes glimmering in the corner of his vision. There was a throbbing in the side of his head that made it hard to focus, and it took him a little too long to realise that he was hanging over someone’s shoulder…and even longer to realise that it was Freed who was carrying him. He blinked at that realisation, trying to study the runes that were still flickering in and out of sight, struggling to translate them, but eventually, he got the gist of them – strength and protection, and his eyes narrowed, more concerned by the former than the latter. He knew better than anyone that Freed was stronger than he looked, so for him to need magical help._

_He blinked. The world turning to white noise again, and it took him longer this time to bring it into focus. To bring Freed back into focus. And this time, he became aware of the odd unevenness in his partner’s gait, something that didn’t come from his weight along and he frowned, wishing that he could see more. However, just shifting slightly had his vision filling with whirling colours, and even before he felt Freed’s grip tighten, he had stopped, bile building in the back of his throat. “It’s okay, I’ve got you.” Freed murmured, and while he sounded as calm and composed, as usual, Rufus could hear the edge beneath it, and gritting his teeth against the pain and nausea he forced himself to speak, needing to know that his partner was okay._

_“You…’kay?” It was nowhere near as clear as he would have liked, but he knew that Freed had heard and understood because the Rune Mage immediately stiffened, and he could practically feel the lie forming, managing to move one of his dangling arms to nudge the other man. “No lies…” He couldn’t say more, because the urge to throw up was increasing with each word, and he had to close his eyes, to ride out the wave of nausea that followed. Unaware of Freed hissing as his weight shifted a little, the grip holding him in place turning bruising for a second._

_It was only when he felt himself being lowered to the ground that he managed to rally himself enough to open his eyes again, regretting it as the world spun for a moment, and it took him a few seconds to realise that it was literally turning as Freed set him down. Then he was being leant against something solid, grateful for it as he promptly listed to the side, realising that without the support he would have slumped over. “…Freed?” He blinked, feeling how heavy his lids were and how gritty his eyes felt, as though they didn’t belong his head, and he grimaced, wondering what the hell had hit him and how long it was going to take for these disconcerting sensations to disappear. When there was no reply, he managed to tilt his head towards the other man, the world coming into focus as he realised that Freed was swaying where he stood._

_At first, he thought that it might be his head playing tricks on him, but he blinked again, and the image didn’t fade, and with concern building behind the haze over his thoughts, he focused on his partner, realising with a start just how pale the other man was. His eyes weren’t quite listening to him, and more than once he found himself distracted, gaze wandering off in another direction, but gradually he managed to work his way downwards. Something, tightening and lurching in the pit of his stomach as he spied the darkening stain on Freed’s trousers, and now that he was watching he could see that Freed was struggling to keep any weight on that leg. Eyes narrowing as he heard Freed hiss, seemingly seconds away from collapsing on the ground before he managed to steady himself._

_“Fre…ed?” It came out raw, and with more of a fight than he had anticipated. However, it had the desired effect of making Freed focus on him, although that also meant he got a clear view of the pain that the other man was clearly unable to hide any longer. “You’re hurt.” He managed to force that out more clearly, finding it easier to focus on something that wasn’t his own pain, although he could feel the fog rolling in once more._

_“I’m fine.” At some point he was really going to have to ban those words from his partner’s vocabulary he decided, knowing better than to believe them, as the last time Freed had said that, he’d collapsed from a fever hours later. Some of his disbelief and irritation must’ve bled through, although it felt to him that his face and voice were no longer responding to his commands, a numbness settling over him as the fog started to seep back into his thoughts because Freed sighed. “It’s okay.” That sounded a lot more reassuring, or maybe it was the fact that Freed had moved across to him, crouching down and brushing a strand out of his face, even managing a small smile when Rufus blinked at the action. “But we can’t keep going like this, so I need you to stay here for a little while longer. Then we can both go home.”_

_It was said with his usual calm resolve, and it was almost enough to make Rufus believe him, but there was something in Freed’s gaze that unnerved him, and he frowned. He didn’t like splitting up at the best of times, having learnt the value of working together after the Grand Magic Games, let alone at a time like this when he was reasonably sure he couldn’t cast a spell even if someone were telling him what to do, and when he wasn’t sure how hurt Freed was. “Freed…”_

_“It will be fine.” Rufus was really going to ban that word from Freed’s vocabulary, but he wasn’t given a chance to argue, as, with a final brush of his fingers against Rufus’ cheek, the Rune Mage rose to his feet, still wavering although he didn’t falter. Rufus was faltering now, the haze thickening and his eyes were heavy as he blinked, watching as Freed started drawing runes in the air around them. Protection…he’s protecting me…what is he doing?_

    After that, his memory descended into an indecipherable mix of grey haze and flickering images, as though he had been clinging to consciousness by the skin of his teeth. He remembered hearing fighting, as though from a great distance, and trying to crawl towards the sound only to be halted by the runes that Freed had put in place…Freed’s voice raised in pain, the sound hammering home how useless he was at that moment… then an indeterminable amount of time later there had been a warm hand on his shoulder, and a breathless reassurance in his ear.

_It’s going to be okay_

_._ Freed had come back to him, and then they had been moving, although it had been jarring and stumbling, as though Freed had been struggling to stay upright, and then they had been falling, the world slipping away from him as the ground had rushed up to meet them.

_Freed, what did you do?_

****

    He was no closer to reaching an answer to any of his questions when the healer finally came to fetch him. At least she’d had the sense to reassure him first, although maybe that had been because he had all but leapt from the chair, his magic flaring around him before he managed to rein it in. _But this is Freed._ Hearing that his partner would heal with time, was enough to have him reining in his magic and taking a deep breath, something he was grateful for as she listed Freed’s injuries – each word leaving a sickening weight in the pit of his stomach. Because Freed had already been hurt when he’d left him behind, protected by his runes, but not like this… which meant that he had willingly walked back into danger.

_For me…_

    Rufus might not be able to remember everything, but he knew that as clearly as he knew all the magic that he had ever memorised. Freed had gone to draw the danger away and paid the price. He blinked, absorbing what the healer was telling him, right down to the instructions that he knew that his partner would undoubtedly try to ignore, but internally he was focused on one thought.

_I’m going to kill him._

*

    A thought that last all of the walk to the room where Freed was, because the moment he stepped into the room he was hit with the physical proof that his partner was still with him, and how severely injured he was, and he froze in the doorway. _Freed._ The Rune mage had appeared to be sleeping when he’d first entered, but whether he’d made some noise, or Freed had sensed his presence, he was stirring now, discomfort passing over his face before he managed to open his eyes. Seeing the other’s eyes open was almost enough to derail his anger. “Rufus…” The smile that followed reignited his temper, because it was strained, unable to hide the pain he was in.

   Apparently Freed had realised that Rufus wasn’t going to be pacified that easily, because he sighed, sinking back in the pillows, his attempted smile disappearing as he murmured softly. “Rufus, I’m all right…”

“You nearly weren’t,” Rufus pointed out bluntly, not falling for the attempt, although his expression softened a little as he studied Freed and caught the wince as he shifted on the bed, sighing as he moved to settle on the edge of the bed. Even with the healer’s reassurances still ringing in his ears, there were plenty of causes for concern, from the turquoise eyes that were currently dulled with pain, to the tightening around his eyes as Freed moved to give him more room on the bed, and the bandages peeping out from under his partner’s shirt and his stomach churned. _It was too close._ While his fingers were gentle as he reached out to entwine them with Freed’s, feeling the other man relaxing a little at the gesture, his voice when it worked cracked out like a whip, leaving his partner in no doubt that he still wasn’t happy. “Freed, I don’t need a protector.”

“But…”

“I need someone who trusts that I can protect myself, who will fight by my side but not try and sacrifice themselves for my sake,” Rufus cut across him, holding up a hand to stop Freed from interrupting, as his partner opened his mouth to do just that.  “Someone who will let me make my own mistakes, and face the consequences, and be there waiting when I wake up in the infirmary.” What he didn’t say, and what they both knew, was that if Freed hadn’t intervened and drawn the fire away from them, Rufus would also be lying in a bed like this or worse, and he was unsurprised to find that Freed was unrepentant as he met his gaze. Just as he knew that the other man wouldn’t hesitate to do it again, and silently he vowed to do everything in his power to make sure that they never wound up in that situation again.


End file.
